Safe Methods of Operation

Plant & Equipment

All plant that enters the site shall be logged on form – Schedule of Plant. All High Risk plant shall be regularly maintained in accordance with the Act and manufacturer’s recommendations and shall be recorded in a logbook. That logbook should be sighted to verify compliance. All High Risk Plant details shall be recorded on form Schedule of Plant.

The schedule on High Risk Work should be perused to ensure which occupations require certificates of competency. If a certificate is required details should be recorded on the Work Health and Safety Management Plan.

Satisfy yourself an operator is competent regardless of certificates held.

Watch the video below:

View the Safe Operating procedure

SOP – Use of Plant

View the Hazard controls

Hazards – Use of Plant

Hired Plant

• Ensure machine has been maintained by viewing the maintenance log
• Complete pre-start checks as usual
• Submit Schedule of Plant as per owned plant

Plant – Code of Practice
Competent Operators
All workers shall receive adequate training to ensure sufficient competency prior to unsupervised use of plant. No worker shall work with plant if he/she is alone in the factory.

Complete the form:

Form – F27. Verification of competency VOC

Registrable Plant
Shall be registered with the Regulator as required by Legislation.

High Risk Work
Operators of certain plant require certificates of competency e.g. forklift, elevated work platforms. No person shall work in a prescribed occupation unless they are accredited to do so or are being trained to do the work and are under supervision of a competent person who ensures all training is recorded.

Maintenance
All plant shall be regularly serviced and maintained in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations. Maintenance schedules should be established (to manufacturers specifications) that determine frequency of servicing and provide a checklist of items requiring inspection, testing or repair, lubrication, or adjustment.

Exclusion Zones
All fixed plant shall have a designated exclusion zone or safe work area that is allocated for the unobstructed use of the plant operator. This area will include a minimum distance of 1.000 metre from any moving part of the machine in all directions to ensure no other worker is within the distance that could allow injury by drawing in of clothes, limbs, or hair.

The exclusion zone should be denoted by highly visible lines on the floor. The exclusion zone must include sufficient space for the worker to rotate, flip or otherwise move materials being used.

A Risk Assessment should be undertaken to determine distances and to decide whether in some instances a rigid barrier (handrail) may be required.

Guarding/Failsafe Devices
Machine guards must be installed at all times and must not be removed, modified, or made inoperable unless the machine is taken out of service or rendered inoperable by tag out. The machine must not be returned to service until guards are reinstalled and their correct operation is verified.

All machines must be of “Fail Safe Design” to ensure that in case of failure, power failure, and emergency stop or misuse that they become safe.

Design Standards
Ensure all plant has been designed and constructed to an acceptable standard (AS/NZ Standards or similar).

Control Devices
If any moving part may endanger any person when plant starts up it must be fitted with an audible and or visible alarm e.g. forklift or elevating work platform.

Noise Levels
Ensure that the noise a worker is exposed to at the workplace does not exceed the exposure standard for noise (refer AS 1269 Occupational noise management). If necessary, provide sound dampening devices or enclosures.

Registrable Plant
All High Risk Plant must have a Schedule of Registrable Plant completed and lodged on site for Commercial Sites and at the Builders Office for Residential Sites.